Artificial tooth.



G. W. GRIMM.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I3. I9I?.

Patented. July 2, 1918.

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GEORGE W. GRIMM, OF WEST HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

An'rrrrcrnt'roorrr.

Letonia.

Application led November 13,1917. Serial No. 201,752.

To all whom z't may concern Be it known that l, GEORGE W. GRIMM, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Teeth, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to artificial teeth, and has for its object t'o provide an improved porcelain crown toothv with an adjustable attachment for use on vulcanite plate work or other dentures. A

Other objects are to provide an improved means of attachment of the teeth to the plate which permits said plate to be made lighter in weight and less bulky, to give greater comfort to the wearer, to afford more room for the tongue, to promote clearer enunciation by wearers of artificial teeth, to dispense withthe use of vulcanite or other backing behind the porcelain crown, thereby improving the color or appearance of the tooth and making itV more nearly like a natural tooth, and to permitthe tooth to be ground away at the neck portion to fit the gum and conform to the alveolar ridge without weakening the attachment of the tooth to the plate or other denture.

A further important object is to lmake the attachment in separable parts so that the grinding and fitting to the alveolar ridge may be done before the final attachment is made. Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute part of this specification, and then more specically defined in the claims at the end of the description.

ln the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts vthroughout the several views Figure 1 is a vertical central section through a porcelain crown constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the first step in attaching it to a plate or denture.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the second step in making the attachment.

Fig. 3 is a section of the tooth or crown Specification of Letters Patenti.

patenten aune, raie.

completely and Fig. @bis a section on the line lV-lfV of Fig; Y` Y The porcelain crown or body portion of theartificial tooth `1 is formed with a cavity 2 in its end for connection with the vulcanite attached to the plate or denture,

plate or other denture 12, as illustrated in Fig.' 3. ln order to strengthen thisconnection and form a dove-tailed or ball-andsocket joint, thesocket or cavity 2 has an inwardly protruding ridge 3 intermediate its base and upper' edge, and the walls of the cavity above and below said ridge are concave, as at 5 and f1. The diameter at the innermost edge of the ridge 3 is less than the greatest diameter of the concave portion 4 below saidridge.

To further strengthen the joint, a two part attaching device is employed, said device comprising an externally screw threaded 'pin 7 and a headed internally threaded part 8 to fit said pin. The crown l is bored at the bottom of the cavity 2 to receive the shank of the headed part 8, as at 6, and the pin 7 is anchored in the crown at the bottom of said bore and extends up centrally thereof to a point above the base of the cavity 2. The head 9 of said headed part is preferably provided with notches 10 to receive a Spanner wrench, for adjusting same and also to prevent the sleeve 8 from becoming unscrewed or loose, after the vulcanite has set around same, as shown in Fig. 3. The lower face of the head is rounded or inclined, as at 11, to permit the vulcanite to flow or reach below said head and thus strengthen the connection.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the first step in attaching the crown l to the vulcanite plate or denture 12 is the anchoring of the pin 7 in the bore 6 which is preferably done when the said crown is baked. While in this stage the crown may be ground to t the um and uneven surfaces of the alveolar ri ge, this grinding being possible on account of the absence of the headed tubular part 8 which, if in position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, would be in the way of the grinding disk or tool generally used for grinding down and fitting the crown. lf considerable grinding has been necessary, the lower end of the tubular part 8 may be ground off' also so that when it is screwed down the lower inclined or rounded face 1l of the head 10 will seat on the edge of thebore 6 in the 4bottom of the cavity 2. 'This feature not only strengthens the attachment but also permitsin a manner never before .possible the grinding or fitting of a tooth of this type at the part nearest the gum, so that such teeth can be used in spaces never before possible.

AAfter sthe tooth or crown has been properly fitted, the headed tubular part 8 =is screwed onto the pin 7, as already described and as illustrated inl*1 ig. 2, a :Spanner .or other wrench being` used for this purpose as previously suggested. 'The -vulcanite is finally poured into the cavity 2 in plastic condition and ,afterfilling saidcaafityl around and ,below ythe head 91of thetubular part and above and below kthe ridge t3, said vulcanite is jallowed to hardemwliereupon @the crown will vbestrongly .fastened to the plate or denture formedfof the vulcanite. f

The. top .of .the ,headed member or part `is arranged below theridge 3 in the cavity 2, so thatthe ,plastic ,materia-l .or vulcanite which .fills the portion .of the cavity below said ridge isheid firmly .around the headzf) of saidmember. y y

Having ,thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desiret-'o secure by Let.- ters Patent o f the United States is 1 In an artificial tooth, `the combination, with, 4a,cr"o,iv,n having acavity therein, A`of a pin anchored ,in thebottom of said cavity,

headed member being` adapted to be embedded in plastic material to which the crown .is vto be attached.

3. In an artificial tooth, the combination, with a crown havinga cavity therein provided Awith an inwardly extending.;` ridge, of a pin` anchored inthe bottom of said cavity, and a headed member connected to said pin and arranged between the bottom of the ca-.igity and. said ridge, said headed member being'adapted to be embedded in plastic niaterial to whichthe crown is to be attached.

lnxfanarticial tooth, the combination, with `a.crow.n having a caiity therein `and ,i bore vin the ,base .of .the cavity, of a screwthreaded pin anchored inthe bottom of the bore and extending into the cavity, and an internally ,threaded ytubular member to lit said pin, .said ftubular lmember haring` a shank to loosely yit in said bore and a head extending into thecavity where it may be embedded in plastic .material to which the crown .is tobe attached.

In testimony whereof l have signed. my nameto this specification.

I GEORGE YV. GRIMM.

Copies of this patentlmay bev obtained .f orrvecents each, by laddressing: the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D..C. 

